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NERS evidence should follow the work

By Saqib Shah · · 2 min read

An evidence record with four fieldsFour connected boxes: record owner and project reference, the document relied on, date revision and approval status, and the reviewer decision with any outstanding action. Below, a note that an open action shows as open. Evidence that follows the workEach record answers four questions, so nobody starts audit week with a searchOwnerRecord owner andproject referenceDocumentThe document orassessment relied onStatusDate, revision andapproval statusDecisionReviewer decision andany outstanding actionIf an action is still open, it shows as openA document being present does not show that it is adequate, approved or current.Action open

A competency assessment has been completed. A project review has been signed. A site record has been filed. The evidence exists, but can the responsible person find the right version and see who approved it?

That is a useful starting point for reviewing evidence management. Not the number of folders, or whether a dashboard is green, but whether the record supports the question being asked.

Start with a record, not an audit-week task

Consider an illustrative project review. Keep the project reference, the review date, the responsible person and the supporting documents together. Record the outcome and any actions separately from the evidence itself.

If an action is still open, show it as open. A document being present does not establish that it is adequate, approved or current.

Make the review trail readable

An index should help someone move from a requirement to the relevant evidence without guessing. Useful fields include:

  • the record owner and project reference;
  • the document or assessment being relied on;
  • its date, revision and approval status;
  • the reviewer’s decision and any outstanding action.

These are record-management examples, not a substitute for the applicable NERS scheme requirements. The responsible person must establish which requirements and evidence apply to the firm’s accreditation scope.

Prepare the pack, preserve the judgement

OpsWork’s document and compliance function brings the relevant records together for review. The value is in having it ready: a readable evidence index, the source documents and the gaps that need attention.

The assessor’s judgement remains the assessor’s. Accreditation is not conferred by software, and an assembled pack is not proof of compliance.

Use your own workload to judge the value

There is no universal saving to promise. A firm with well-maintained records has a different starting point from one rebuilding its evidence trail.

Use the ROI calculator to model your own routine workload, including the review effort that remains. It is an illustration of time, not a report of results from a customer deployment.

See how OpsWork prepares documents and evidence.

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